There comes a point in our personal or professional lives, when we must reassess our values, goals, and aspirations. We must take into consideration where we have been, where we wanted to go, and compare it to where we are now and where we need to go. And that’s exactly what we did.

When SydneyMalcome started in 2012, we found a need for consultative services for small, start-up businesses. As a start-up ourselves with our own individual careers and backgrounds, we knew we would be able to assist these companies by providing interactive assistance, consultation and support in securing various funding opportunities.

As the years passed, we felt that our skills could be better used to benefit companies focused on social and cultural change as well as non-profit organizations that give back to the community, just as we do. So as we embarked on this re-branding process, we took an assessment of our needs, reworked our business plan, and definitely learned a lot along the way.

So from one start-up to another, here are a few things to keep in mind when rebranding:

1.Second First Impressions– When rebranding, you are essentially giving your business a second life. Take advantage of that! Your new-found brand image is the FIRST thing your clientele and customers will notice about your brand so it must be well received. As a small start up, it’s important to have something that really catches the eye of your clientele. Whether it is a particular color scheme, a phrase or a tagline that you associate your brand, stick to it and make it fresh.

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2.Consistency is key! – When a company does something simple like change a logo, they change it EVERYWHERE! From social media, packaging, billboards, you name it, that new logo will be the new poster child for the brand. The idea is to not necessarily disassociate the old from the new, but to draw attention to it to say “Hey, we made some changes!” Creating this consistency allows it to become a part of the brand and create automatic association.

3.Take risks: When it comes to your brand and image, try something new. Notice that there is a reason to why you are rebranding in the first place so when given the opportunity, explore your options, do your research, and create something new that you love more than when you first started.

To give you a more tangible and visual idea about what rebranding can do for a company, check out this article featuring some VERY well known companies. Many of which we use their products or services everyday:

For example, take a look at how Starbucks started off as just an everyday coffee spot but now boasts not only their coffee but the atmosphere of their shops. You can even buy wine there! It's really changed from a morning casual pit stop to one of the fanciest less than $5 coffee, experiences anyone can have.

We hope this article gave you some courage to make those changes and to continue to do so. Remember, “To improve is to change, to be perfect is to change often.” -

SydneyMalcome believes that thriving communities are the key to lasting Social Change. Wellness, Education and Community Development are the foundation on which communities grow. We approach our work with a focus on vision, cultivation and support to create sustainable opportunities for individuals and organizations to stay committed to their vision for Social Change.